Pathology in motion: Automation from specimen to report

Area of Science:

• Medical Laboratory Science
• Pathology Workflow Optimization

Background:

• Pathology labs face increasing diagnostic demand, complexity, and staffing shortages.
• Current manual workflows are inefficient, error-prone, and contribute to staff burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review automation solutions for key pathology workflow phases.
• To compare automation efficiency and accuracy against manual methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of current automation technologies for grossing, labeling, processing, embedding, microtomy, and archiving.
• Comparative analysis of automated vs. manual workflow data for efficiency, accuracy, and traceability.

Main Results:

• Automation improves efficiency and reliability across multiple pathology stages.
• Advanced processing systems offer faster turnaround and better tissue preservation.
• Automated embedding, microtomy, and archiving significantly reduce manual handling time and improve sample tracking.

Conclusions:

• Automation enhances standardization, efficiency, and diagnostic safety in pathology.
• High implementation costs and infrastructure demands are current barriers.
• Automation is crucial for building resilient and future-ready pathology services.